Show Me The Money!

Let’s be honest for a moment. You probably wouldn’t be looking for a career if you didn’t need to make money. It doesn’t make you a bad person. Your desire to earn a living does not invalidate your desire to care for people in need. It is important that you understand the financial implications you are accepting when choosing to become a Patient Care Tech.

So let’s begin with the basics:

The average Patient Care Technician Salary (PCT) is approximately $30,000.*

That’s not bad but how does it compare with other positions?

The average salary for a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is approximately $23,000.*

You can easily see that there is a financial advantage to seeking to enter the medical field as a PCT over a CNA.

Things that may affect your salary

Experience – Lack of experience can often be a sticking point when attempting to get your first job in the medical field. This can also be a major factor in terms of your expected starting salary. You might have to take a first job in a nursing home for $10/hour but you will want to have a plan in mind to leverage that experience in your next move before settling and only after you have exhausted all your options.

Shift Differentials – If you plan on continuing your education after becoming a PCT then night shifts may work best for you. Another added benefit is that these less popular shifts often come with a premium to your hourly rate.

Location – Certain states have higher costs of living and you can expect higher pay in some markets for this reason.

Facility/Department – If you are starting off in a nursing home instead of a hospital or clinic then you can expect to make less in most cases. Also, different departments have varying responsibilities and sometimes differing pay rates.

Specializations – From Hemodialysis Patient Care Technicians to ED Patient Care Technicians there are a range of further specializations and sometimes additional certifications that can affect your pay.

A recent survey of 81 PCTs revealed a salary range of up to $45,139**

If you want to maximize your compensation in your market then you need to make a plan! If you don’t then you might find yourself in five years either in a facility you dislike or making significantly below your potential. Perhaps both in the worst case!

Considering we have found each other here at PCTPCA.com, I doubt you will be a passive participant who misses out on the opportunities that lay ahead.

Average PCT Salary by State

Alabama

$30k

Montana

$28k

Alaska

$24k

Nebraska

$22k

Arizona

$26k

Nevada

$26k

Arkansas

$28k

New Hampshire

$29k

California

$32k

New Jersey

$32k

Colorado

$26k

New Mexico

$26k

Connecticut

$33k

New York

$36k

Delaware

$27k

North Carolina

$29k

Florida

$28k

North Dakota

$27k

Georgia

$34k

Ohio

$28k

Hawaii

$20k

Oklahoma

$27k

Idaho

$21k

Oregon

$28k

Illinois

$32k

Pennsylvania

$27k

Indiana

$29k

Rhode Island

$28k

Iowa

$28k

South Carolina

$27k

Kansas

$26k

South Dakota

$22k

Kentucky

$25k

Tennessee

$28k

Louisiana

$25k

Texas

$28k

Maine

$25k

Utah

$24k

Maryland

$30k

Vermont

$27k

Massachusetts

$35k

Virginia

$30k

Michigan

$29k

Washington

$29k

Minnesota

$26k

West Virginia

$29k

Mississippi

$33k

Wisconsin

$26k

Missouri

$29k

Wyoming

$26k

*Salary data from Indeed Salary Search. Search was performed by Job Title Only and using the terms “Patient Care Technician” and “Certified Nursing Assistant”.